Ding Dong! Set For Chart Success, But Will It Get Played?

Margaret Thatcher was arguably the most divisive political figure of our time.

Revered by some, hated by many, her death on Monday (April 8) sparked an unofficial campaign to get 1939 Wizard of Oz song 'Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead' into the charts in a celebration of her passing.

As the song has swept into the Top 5, there have been calls for the BBC not to play it on its Radio 1 Official Chart rundown on Sunday.

Some, including the Daily Mail's front page on Friday (April 12), have argued that the station should not "support" what they call a tasteless campaign.

BBC director general Lord Tony Hall has reportedly not decided whether to play or ban a song. However, the newly-appointed Lord Hall has reportedly described the issue of playing the song as an "editorial decision".

Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper is said to have been given the decision ahead of Sunday's chart show, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The BBC has been criticised by some quarters over their coverage of Lady Thatcher's death, with former Conservative treasurer Lord McAlpine saying he was "absolutely astounded" that the corporation was considering broadcasting the song.

He said: "The BBC has got to be balanced in its coverage, it is a matter of taste. In the past, the corporation has always been careful about matters of taste on important occasions.

"They are letting the charts be hijacked for political purposes. I'm absolutely astounded that they are even considering playing it. It's another example of how out of control the BBC is."

Sir Gerald Howarth MP said: "This is a serious test for Tony Hall. This is the state broadcaster and it has a duty to show good taste and decency, it is still a tradition in our country that we respect the dead.

Others have noted that for the BBC to interfere with what is an impartial record of the free market choices of the individual would be similar to state censorship.

Thatcher's funeral will be held three days after the broadcast of the charts on Sunday, with the likes of The Queen, Jeremy Clarkson and Hillary Clinton among those invited.